Windblast
 

Having just bought my bike and yet to ride it, I've many questions. This one came up while I was talking to my bikes former owner as I purchased it...

He was telling me how he seldom rode on the faster routes or highways, but the few times that he did, he had some "fun" experiencing windblast from passing vehicles. My question is, knowing that the GZ is a light bike, is it THAT bad? Should I really limit or avoid my highway experience? My potential new home will have a small stretch of highway between me and my place of employment, so I guess I'll find out on my own soon enough. I just hope I'm not happily bumbling down the highway only to be thrown a quarter mile from my bike as a semi rig passes me by!

Thoughts?

I haven't found windblast to be all that bad. Its pretty easy to compensate after you have experienced it a few times. Yes, the GZ250 will get pushed around more than a 750 lbs Harley would, but as long as you don't freak out when it happens then you should be fine. Just make sure when you see that semi coming towards you you prepare to be buffeted by the wind.

It's a lot better if you're tucked in, sport-bike style, onto the tank, which for me is more comfortable than sitting back like your everyday cruiser. Like primal said though, once you experience it a few times, you'll know how to compensate without flinching too bad.

It's kind of freaky the first few times, but you eventually get used to it. I'd suggest that you get really comfortable on your bike before you hit the highways, due mainly to things like this.

A little off-topic, but an interesting story nonetheless:

A few months ago, I was riding up into the mountains through the canyons and I approached a tunnel carved into a hillside; didn't think anything of it really and I was just cruising along at about 55mph. As I got about 50 feet from the entrance of the tunnel I hit a wall of wind that was coming out of the tunnel and probably pushed me 7-8 feet sideways and probably dropped my speed 10-15mph instantly. Pretty scary on a mountain pass, where there's a cliff on one side and oncoming traffic and a rock wall on the other. That's still one of my favorite rides in the state, though; beautiful scenery and a drastic change in climate and the whole loop can be done in about 4hrs. It's just a little scary in some parts where you're twisting up into the mountains and have to deal with the wind whipping through the canyons.